Behind the Broken Mask
by RedSnow7
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha stood abruptly, the twisted look of shock and horror evident on his handsome face. The girl’s once-magnificent emerald eyes stared back at him; reduced to a hollow and faded sage green. SASUSAKU
1. Crimson Echo

**A/N: This one just came to mind last night as I was reading over my other fic Voice of Fate, which is on hiatus at the moment, since I have absolutely no time to write! **

**Hope you enjoy this one, and I'll try to get my butt in gear for VoF.**

**Beware.. it's a little bloody.. (well I don't think so, but then again I'm not at all squeamish)**

**This is more of a prologue than an actual chapter, but I just had to get it down and type it. **

_Chapter 1: Crimson Echo_

* * *

Panting heavily, she staggered through the bloodied clearing; the screams of dying men echoed in her ears. Mustering the last shreds of her chakra, she pummeled the dry ground with her fist, sending dust and bodies flying through the air.

Fatigue overwhelmed her, yet she did not stop. The whizzing of a kunai flew past her ear, as another embedded itself in her arm. She had no time to dodge as the enemy nin in front of her aimed his last kunai at her head. The weapon hit its target, cracking the mask that hid her face: a hunter-nin.

She had already killed over twenty shinobi, losing count as the battle raged on. Reinforcements were too far away to reach her, and she was on her last vestiges of chakra as it was. But the numerous enemy nins had been annihilated as only a shinobi of her skill level could complete.

The last two shinobi charged, their own energy almost fully exstinguished. The hunter-nin sighed as her vision clouded and her legs buckled underneath her. Fishing blindly in her shuriken holster for her last remaining weapons, she pulled out two chakra scalpels. Waiting until the enemy was almost on top of her, she rose in one swift movement, pushing every ounce of chakra out to her hands. She slit the enemies' throats, and watched out of her dimming vision as they bled profusely on the ground in front of her.

Limping toward the blood-colored stream, she staggered once more as her legs gave out. She shuddered and coughed violently, expelling a generous amount of blood from her punctured lungs. Her eyes glazed over as she regarded her body silently; the many weapons protruding from her abdomen had pierced almost all of her internal organs, and her legs and arms were covered in long slash wounds.

The young woman smiled inwardly as she struggled to make a handsign; consciousness fast leaving her failing mind and body.

'_I guess this is it ... I'm sorry ... Naruto ...' _

* * *

_Though this might just be the ending_

_Of the life I held so dear_

_But I wont run, there's no turning back from here_

_Stand my ground, I won't give in_

_No more denying, I got to face it_

_Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside_

_If I don't make it, someone else will stand my ground_

"Stand My Ground" ~ Within Temptation

_

* * *

_

A tall, dark figure walked out of the blanket of woods in the heart of Fire Country, his black kimono belted loosely around his muscular waist with a thin red sash, displaying his sculpted chest. His black sandals made hardly a sound as he crossed the small clearing from the edge of the dense woods to a stream off to his right. Untying the red obi, he pulled the sword from his waist and shrugged off his kimono. Left only in his black nin pants and sandals, he approached the gurgling stream, staring down at his hard reflection. He could clearly see all the scars that adorned his strapping torso and the thin line of red that streaked his left cheek from a battle the previous day. His onyx eyes burned back at him with a cold, emotionless gaze. So much had happened in the years since he set foot on Fire soil, yet why did he feel the same?

"Hn."

'_Still weak.' _he thought to himself. Even after so long, what was once his old homeland still felt as if he had only been gone for a day. The Land of Fire was hotter than he remembered this time of year; the height of summer had always sticky and unpleasant.

'_This stream was much wider when I was here before ... Must have been a drought.' _

Shrugging inwardly, the man bent down to scoop some water into his battle-scarred hands, wincing as a sharp pain traveled through his bruised ribcage. Glancing up the stream, he went to take a sip of the cool liquid, and stopped abruptly. The metallic scent of blood washed over his nose as a thin trickle of the red liquid floated downstream.

Sighing in annoyance, the weary man put on his kimono and returned the sword to his side. Seeing blood was a daily occurrence for a ninja, especially a missing-nin, yet his curiosity was piqued. There was no evidence of a battle in the beautiful clearing he had entered, so it must have been coming from farther upriver.

Following the stream closely, he wrinkled his nose in disgust. The smell of blood was stronger here now, far stronger, and the river had been dyed a bright red. The hair rose on the back of his neck as he came upon a body that lay on the bank of the stream. His features were barely distinguishable from the large bruises and gashes that streaked his body. The ninja headband stood out on his blood-sodden forehead – Sound. What were Sound ninja doing here? The Sound village had decayed rapidly after Orochimaru's death, and that was close to 8 years ago.

Continuing up the stream, the man noticed far more carnage. Corpses were strewn about; some floating along waters edge while the banks were littered with discarded crimson weapons and more sanguinary remains. The landscape was mutilated as well, as if there was a landmine explosion. Large cracks rent the ground in all directions, and a crater of debris held another dozen mangled bodies. Trees were felled and splintered to smithereens, bloodstains tainting most of their shattered limbs.

The ninja's eyes widened in disbelief, as the destruction and bloodshed seemed endless. The small river was littered with so many corpses that the only water that flowed past the gory scene was distinctly red.

'_Glad I wasn't thirsty.' _he mused with grim satisfaction.

Walking to the edge of the destroyed clearing, the man stopped. There had been at least thirty corpses behind him, and probably others too beaten and butchered to count. The last one lay farther away from the rest, a shattered ANBU mask hiding her identity. The body was covered from head to toe in the coagulating red liquid that decorated the rest of the clearing, and the wounds from numerous kunai and shuriken protruding from her form gave the man an indication of the amount of suffering she had endured.

Something about her body made the ninja shiver involuntarily; she was different from all the other corpses. They were ninja of the Sound, if their Otogakure headbands and jonin vests were anything to go by. The masked ANBU shinobi was the only one that stood out from the rest.

'_Surely she couldn't have beaten all these ninjas by herself?'_ the man wondered quietly. _'I knew Sound was still a bunch of weak idiots, but to be defeated by one girl?'_

Kneeling at the fallen shinobi's side, he inspected the insignia on her left shoulder. The tattoo of the Konohagakure ANBU was unmistakable, even covered in blood. Curiosity overtook the stoic ninja then, and he gently peeled away the fractured remains of her mask.

A gasp escaped the shinobi's lips before he could stop himself. The face of the fallen ANBU was perfectly intact, the only blood came from a thin wound on her forehead, probably where the mask had been cracked. Her bloodstained hair draped loosely around her porcelain face – pink hair.

Sasuke Uchiha stood abruptly, the twisted look of shock and horror evident on his handsome face. The girl's once-magnificent emerald eyes stared back at him; reduced to a hollow and faded sage green.

A familiar name fell from his lips, echoing across the death-stilled clearing.

"... Sakura."

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**Is Sakura dead?!?! O.o wait for the next chappie to find out**

**REVIEW PLEASE!!! **

**I really want to know what you guys think. I'd like to continue this one, but I need feedback.**


	2. Blue Colored Crimson

_Chapter 2: Blue Colored Crimson_

_*~*~*~*~*_

_Sasuke Uchiha stood abruptly, the twisted look of shock and horror evident on his handsome face. The girl's once-magnificent emerald eyes stared back at him; reduced to a faded sage green._

_A familiar name fell from his lips, echoing across the death-stilled clearing._

"_... Sakura."_

*~*~*~*~*

_For a while, with the vertigo cured, we were alive -- we were pure._

_The void took the shape of all that you were, but years take their toll,_

_And things get bent into shape..._

_Antiseptic and tired, I can't remember your face._

_You were supposed to grow old. You were supposed to grow old. _

_Reckless, unfrightened, and old, you were supposed to grow old._

Return ~OK GO

*~*~*~*~*

The sharingan activated involuntarily, coloring Sasuke's deep charcoal eyes a fiery shade of scarlet. His gaze remained locked on Sakura's wan features; the liveliness she used to radiate had disappeared. She looked older; worn and tired, not the cheerful teenager he recalled from long-forgotten memories.

'_What happened to you, Sakura? You were supposed to stay that happy naïve little weakling.' _Sasuke grimaced inwardly, running a hand through his black locks in frustration.

'_You didn't deserve this...'_

The silent ninja let his eyes drift over her limp form. She was so drenched in blood that he couldn't tell actual wounds from the small patches of skin that remained unscathed. The number of weapons that lay pierced through her body was a terrifying amount, and he could only imagine how many times she had actually been hurt in the battle. The young, boy-crazy Sakura he pictured couldn't have endured such tremendous torture.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in thought. The last time he had seen her was eight years ago or more. She had changed then, it was obvious she had gained quite a bit of power. But she was still the annoying, love-struck Sakura that pestered him since they were genin. Even if she had become a better kunoichi, for her to become a hunter-nin was so unlike her. When had she stopped being so innocent?

Sasuke's blood-colored irises narrowed as he knelt by his former teammate's side, and reached out to touch her red-imbued arm.

"Impossible." he muttered in disbelief. '_The other ninja had to have been killed at least an hour ago. But her body, she's still warm...'_

Sasuke's eyes examined her form again, his gaze centering on her chest. It was unmistakable now, and if not for his sharingan, it would have been undetectable. Faint erratic tendrils of chakra flowed around her heart – her beating heart. Other streams of the same irregular chakra circled her vital organs.

'_She managed to keep herself alive, but how? She should have used up all her chakra killing those ninja.' _Sasuke mused in wonder. _'Since when was Sakura capable of something like this? She couldn't possibly have mastered some forbidden jutsu?'_

The stoic man's thoughts were interrupted as two new presences entered the clearing in a flurry of leaves. Long blond hair brushed the younger man's face, as cerulean blue met crimson. Naruto Uzumaki stared back at his former friend and rival, yet he regarded him with disinterest. Sasuke glared at him; yet the dobe didn't seem to notice. His hair had grown longer, framing his tan face – his boyish features had molded into that of a man's. Around his shoulders was a white cloak, adorned with red flames. The orange jumpsuit of old was replaced by a Konoha ninja vest and black pants. Under the vest were a flamboyant orange t-shirt and a mesh long-sleeve top. Naruto seemed oblivious of Sasuke's scrutiny, deep azure eyes searched every blood-soaked detail of the carnage before him, until his troubled gaze locked on a spot at Sasuke's feet.

"No. Sakura-chan ... Oh Kami, no..."

His silver-haired companion moved beside the crestfallen blond and gripped his shoulder, as if to stop himself from collapsing.

"Sakura..."

The name, spoken in a hoarse whisper sliced through the tense silence that hung about the three shinobi like an impenetrable fog. Kakashi Hatake's youthful face twisted into a pained grimace; the spark in his eyes drowned in the blood of his pink-haired teammate. He looked older now, Sasuke noted, a broken man whose last prized possession had been taken from him. Naruto's face mirrored his sensei's; anger and self-loathing mixed within the desolation and hurt.

Words came from the raven-haired shinobi's mouth unbidden, "She's alive, dobe."

Naruto's fist clenched as he was broken from his trance. Red seeped through his caring blue eyes, morphing into the hate-filled eyes of the Kyuubi. Blood dripped from his tight fist where his claws had broken the skin, mingling with the blood-spattered grass at his feet. He strode over to his former rival, halting uncertainly before the pink-haired woman's stilled form.

"We'll come back for you later, Sasuke. I haven't given up on you, even if _she_ has..." The blonde's steely tone trailed off weakly. Picking up his cherry blossom friend's unmoving body, he cradled her gently against his chest. Tears dripped from his clenched jaw, splashing on her forehead – making a new pink-tinted watermark down her pale face.

"Kakashi-sensei, inform Tsunade of Sakura's condition. She'll need to send an ANBU squad to clean up the corpses as well. If we don't get back soon ..."

His authoritative voice wavered, and Kakashi nodded before disappearing in a flutter of leaves. He fully understood the blonde's grave warning.

Naruto cast one meaningful glance at the onyx-eyed man before gritting his fangs and leaping off into the trees.

"I won't let you die, Sakura!"

*~*~*~*~*

The last Uchiha watched his blond rival's flowing white cloak disappear into the distance. Sighing heavily, he reached into the small pouch tied at his hip, pulling out a small black book. Retracing his steps gingerly, he flipped through the torn and dog-eared pages of the old book. It was a bingo book, given to him by one of his latest clients who had hired him as an assassin, and his main targets were S-ranked criminals.

Sasuke glanced through the book again, stopping here and there to examine the face of a fallen shinobi. Not only were there Sound corpses, but bodies bearing the Kumogakure and Kirigakure insignia as well. Despite the obvious beating and mutilation, Sasuke was able to distinguish a few S-class Cloud and Mist ninja amid the blood-bath.

'_I'll have to thank Sakura. She did most of my job for me.' _

Coming to another well-worn page, the man stopped in his tracks. The image of a young green-eyed woman with pink-hair was circled heavily with a note scrawled on the side:

_Every one I've sent after her returned in a body bag or went missing permanently. Bring me her body, alive or dead. Perhaps you'll be more fortunate than the others. _

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. His client was interested in Sakura, and _none _of the assassins before him had been able to complete their mission? He scanned the page intently; noting her fighting style as _"akin to the sannin Tsunade's chakra-laden punches, medical jutsu with chakra scalpels"_, but very little else was available. His gaze drifted to her picture; she looked younger then, though her hardened emerald eyes reflected years of killing and death. She was smiling, but it was a fake smile - a pretense. Her expression could fool many an experienced fighter, yet the avenger could see through the façade. In the twin pools of jade was a mix of pain, remorse, and hatred, cleverly disguised with a cold, emotionless mask. He knew the look well – her eyes were very much like his own.

*~*~*~*~*

The nine-tailed beast whizzed through the forest toward Konohagakure leaving a trail of havoc and destruction in his wake. Naruto paid this no heed; the only thing on his mind was the pink-haired shinobi clutched to his chest. There was so much to do in so little time, and judging by Sakura's wounds and the amount of blood she had already lost, it was almost too late.

'_I won't give up. I WON'T!'_ Naruto snarled inwardly as he pushed off a tree branch violently, snapping it into a million pieces as he pushed on.

The gates of Konoha loomed ahead, and the blonde shouted orders for the ninja patrol to open the gate and alert Tsunade immediately. Barreling inside, he headed for the hospital. Shinobi and civilians stared at him; wary eyes regarded him with fear until they noticed the bloodied bundle in his arms. Several young women screamed, only to be shoved roughly by several ninja from the gate patrol.

"Get the hell out of the way, all of you!" Genma's shout echoed around the streets. "Where is Lady Hokage!?"

*~*~*~*~*

Sasuke glanced around the quiet clearing. The sounds of Naruto crashing through the forest had receded into the distance and Sasuke was left staring at the lifeless bloodbath. The smell was beginning to sicken him, and his stomach churned painfully as he made his way out of the clearing. Reaching a small hollow away from the carnage, Sasuke stopped. His legs suddenly didn't feel like moving anymore and he felt as if someone had pushed his head below the surface of the river – holding him there until he choked, filling his lungs with the bloodied water as he writhed and struggled, unable to break free. Deeply unsettled, he collapsed at the feet of a gnarled tree untouched by Sakura's wrath. The blood-laden clearing was still imprinted on his mind; turning his eyes from the slaughter did nothing to dispel the horrid image. And her eyes – her dull, faded eyes – he doubted he would ever forget the feeling that came over him when his gaze met her unseeing one.

'_How ... How is she alive?'_

The man stared at his hands in disbelief. His right hand was still caked in dried red liquid from when he touched her. He didn't understand this suffocating sensation. Death was something he saw everyday, much of it caused by his own hands. Why was it any different now?

The raven-haired shinobi dismissed these thoughts, calming himself as he pulled out the bingo book again. Those bonds were broken long ago - they meant nothing to him now. But before he could stop himself, his fingers had flipped to her picture.

Sasuke stood then, his feet moving of their own accord. Ignoring the small shred of worry that crept up on him, Sasuke made his choice. It was time to return to Konoha. For whatever reason, Sakura Haruno was a threat to his client's plans, and Sasuke would eliminate her.

*~*~*~*~*

"Move, move, move!" Tsunade screeched as her heels thundered down the hallway toward the Emergency Room. Nurses rushed the red-drenched stretcher into the sterile room as more medics filed in to assist their Hokage.

Forming a blur of handseals, Tsunade pressed her glowing green hands to her apprentice's limp form. The other medics followed suit as Shizune barked out orders, pouring her own chakra into her younger colleague.

The Godaime paid no attention to them, her mind focused on her prized student lying on the very table Tsunade had hoped she would never end up on. Sakura had chosen this path, and the blonde woman could only wish she had stopped her before it was too late. Tears filled her eyes, but the Hokage wiped them away with a blood-streaked hand. It wasn't over yet.

"Hold on, Sakura. Hold on!"

* * *

**A/N: So sorry everyone! This took FOREVER. I just didn't have any inspiration at all. Concocting a plot for this was so difficult for me, especially with the recent manga developments. I hate you Kishi! Anyway, I know this is short, and it's length hardly merits the time I took to get it written. But I like cliffys :D I'm not even going to make any promises as to when the next chapter will be out, because I clearly suck at keeping them. THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed! It made me so happy. **

**Review please! More feedback would be great. **


	3. Under the Red Moon

**I'm backkkkk :D And chapter three is here as promised before February!

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_Chapter 3: Under the Red Moon_

_*~*~*~*~*_

_If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one_

_  
Drying in the colour of the evening sun_

_  
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away_

_  
But something in our minds will always stay_

Fragile ~ Sting

*~*~*~*~*

Night had fallen, blanketing the forest as Sasuke emerged from the cover of the trees. He drifted in and out of the shadows as he neared the walls of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The raven-haired man scaled the south wall, using the chakra in his feet to propel him over the twenty-foot stone barricade. Landing on the battlements quietly, the shinobi looked around in surprise. Not one ninja patrolled the wall where he stood. Sasuke frowned, straining his eyes in the darkness to see the far ends of the southern wall and looking for any sign of Konoha shinobi.

_'Has Konoha really gotten this careless?'_

Sasuke alighted on the ground beneath the wall, not disturbing a single blade of grass. He made his way through the streets toward the hospital, where he figured Sakura would be. Things had changed, especially after Pein brought the village crashing to the ground, and Sasuke was having a bit of trouble finding his way. Yet wherever he looked, there was no one in sight – not even a civilian. The onyx-eyed man took to the rooftops and trees, keenly searching for signs of movement. The lights from the hospital entered his vision, and Sasuke nestled himself in the trees above the front entrance.

Hundreds of little candles adorned the steps of the hospital, twinkling and waving on the ground below him, and as many men and women sat or leaned against the stone steps. A green-hilted sword stood upright in the center of the crowd, flanked by more candles, flowers, and kunai. Sasuke recognized it immediately – the sword had been a Sakura's side when he found her body. The moonlight glinted off the long steel blade; the blood from Sakura's battle had been cleaned off. The full moon's light illuminated the headbands of the gathered shinobi and the armor of the ANBU stationed around the hospital.

The quiet whispers drifted up to Sasuke's keen ears, and he recognized members of the Rookie 9 who passed in and out of the darkness from the flickering of the candles. Their faces were etched with worry, and many were streaked with fresh tears.

Another ANBU-clad shinobi crossed the grounds, accompanied by a ninja Sasuke recognized as Shikamaru. The ANBU stopped and turned to face his companion; Sasuke could see his pearly white eyes under the light of the pale red-hued moon. They were deep in conversation, and Sasuke dropped swiftly to a lower branch to catch what they were saying.

"What's going on? What happened to Sakura?" Neji inquired of Shikamaru, his ever-serious face contorted into a worried frown.

"They won't admit anyone else to the hospital unless it's an emergency. The Godaime has been treating Sakura for hours, and I haven't even been able to get inside to speak to anyone. Ino was called in from home over seven hours ago. She was in too much of a rush to tell me what's happening, but I know it's Sakura and it's bad. Every nurse in the village was requested to assist Tsunade in the surgery and watch the other patients."

Neji ran a hand through his silky chocolate hair tensely. "This is the first time Tsunade has taken part in a surgery in over a year, isn't it?"

Shikamaru met his companions gaze. Sasuke could see the sympathy that present in the young genius as he pulled out a cigarette. "Tsunade would do anything for Sakura. She's like a daughter to her. And I know the Hokage can't bear to lose yet another person she loves."

"She was a very special person to all of us." Neji added regretfully.

"I'd say I'm sorry for you, but she isn't dead yet Neji." Shikamaru countered reproachfully. "If there's anyone that could survive in a situation like this, it's Sakura. She's stubborn as hell."

Neji laughed halfheartedly. He sat down and leaned against the tree Sasuke was perched in and put a hand to his face.

"I just can't believe this. How could she have gotten hurt so badly?"

"I don't know her condition right now, but I know what happened out there. Kakashi reported everything to us while Naruto brought her in. We received an assassination mission from a client reportedly from the Sound village. He spoke of an attack on Konoha that was being carried out by some rouge ninja formerly from Sound. Sakura volunteered to get rid of them."

Neji's eyes widened. "The Hokage let her take it as a solo mission?"

The other jonin sighed. "Sakura insisted. We wanted to assign at least one shinobi for tactical support, but she wouldn't hear of it. She said her jutsu and fighting style are too dangerous to have a partner, and looking out for them would distract her anyway. She should have been fine, if our intelligence was correct."

"But it wasn't." Neji added bluntly.

"There were only supposed to be ten or so ninja there. Sakura's an expert, and we confirmed the man's statements."

"So what the hell went wrong?" Neji shouted angrily. "If there were only supposed to be ten of them, and she was supposed to handle it, why is she dying in a hospital bed right now?!"

Shikamaru rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Somehow they got reinforcements. We confirmed the intelligence – there were no other rogue operatives in the area. But Kakashi reported that there were almost forty corpses in the clearing where Sakura was found."

Blowing some smoke from his cigarette, Shikamaru leaned down and patted Neji on the shoulder. "She fought like hell, man. We don't think anyone walked out of that clearing alive except her. I'm sorry you can't see her yet. I know how much you cared for her."

To Sasuke, Neji's flickering face in the candlelight looked far older and worn than it had been when he had entered the clearing. He searched the Hyuuga's face for a reaction to Shikamaru's comment.

Neji smiled sadly and stared at Sakura's upright sword. "Yeah, she is. I always told her to stop taking these ridiculous solo missions. But she would never listen. Leave it to Sakura to be so damn stubborn."

The onyx-eyed avenger snorted softly above the two Konoha jonin. He couldn't admit that Sakura had become capable enough to take solo missions, even though he saw the proof of her power that very morning. Nevertheless, he remembered her cold, emotionless eyes in her Bingo book picture, and he knew that she was a different ninja than he had known all those years ago. The jonins' talk below him had turned to the nature of Sakura and Neji's relationship, whatever it was, and Sasuke decided that was his cue to leave. He didn't care who had taken an interest in Sakura while he was away – he just needed to find her and finish her off. Disappearing into the upper boughs of the tree, Sasuke materialized on the roof of the hospital. He activated his sharingan and searched for the chakra signatures in the building below him.

A large stain of chakra greeted his senses, and he made his way down the side of the building to come closer to the source. Sasuke alighted on another tree branch outside the room. He could feel the many waves of chakra emanating from the many bodies of nurses crammed into the surgery room. Since charging the chakra-filled room was out of the question, he would have to wait for the surgery to be over to have even a chance at killing Sakura. After nestling himself in the tree to wait, Sasuke soon became restless. Neji and Shikamaru's conversation had made him curious, and he wanted to see for himself what Sakura's condition was. Her chances of surviving were so little that Sasuke could not help but admire that she had made it thus far. Scaling back up the building, Sasuke made his way quietly into the hospital from the exit door on the roof.

Sasuke reached the ground floor without a hitch, being careful to avoid any security cameras and hospital personnel. The raven-haired man ducked into an open room as a nurse carrying a tray of surgical instruments and gauze rushed by. He knew the only place the woman could be in such a rush to get to was Sakura's surgery room. Stepping soundlessly out into the brightly lit hallway, Sasuke made his way toward the massive chakra signature. Peering around the corner of the hallway, he spied his former teammates sitting outside the emergency room. Kakashi leaned against the wall opposite the door; his shoulders slouched against the cold stone and his Icha Icha book held limply in his hand, forgotten. Sai had brought a pad and pencil and sat curled up near Kakashi, sketching halfheartedly. With his sharingan, Sasuke could pick out the smiling face of a woman on the artist's sketchpad, and he knew it was Sakura. Unlike her Bingo book photo, she was smiling – a genuine, happy smile. Naruto sat unmoving in a chair directly opposite the emergency room doors. His warm blue orbs were focused on the floor in front of him, and he stared listlessly. The sounds of shouted orders and hurried footsteps penetrated through the thick emergency room doors, but the blond man didn't bat an eye. He unconsciously clenched and unclenched his fists as his gaze remained fixed on the sterile white tiles.

Sasuke stared at the three men, the desolation and despair radiating from them seemed to claw at him, dragging him closer. The brightly lit hallway seemed out of place and unreal, darkened and hollowed by the ninja's somber vigil. Hairs stood up on the back of Sasuke's neck, and he involuntarily backed away from the emergency room and the gloom surrounding it. A scream from within the room sliced through the air around the former members of Team 7. The four ninjas jumped at the noise, and Sasuke managed to backpedal around the corner before the Konoha shinobi saw him.

Naruto's irises fluoresced red as he stood up and fixed his attention on the door. Through the small windows in the door, Sasuke could make out Sakura's form among the bustling bodies of nurses and Tsunade. Sakura let out another anguished scream and it echoed around the silent hallway. The nurses held her down as Tsunade and Shizune inserted more chakra to soothe her pain. The pink-haired ninja's mouth hung open and her eyes were wide and unfocused. Sakura's eyes darted around the room in a blind panic and she began to struggle and cry out as more nurses joined in to pin her to the table. They succeeded to calm her and Sakura had been moved out of Sasuke's vision. The haunted look in Sakura's eyes and her chilling scream had shaken Sasuke to his very core, as well as the other shinobi in the hall. Sweat beaded on Kakashi's brow as he heaved an unsteady sigh. Sai had dropped his pencil but remained unmoving; he stared at the picture he had drawn of Sakura as if trying to burn that happy image of her into his mind and forget what he had just heard. Naruto sunk to his knees. He made fists with his hands and slammed them on the tiled floor. Cracks emanated from his trembling fists as small water droplets dripped from his cheeks. Sasuke watched the water slide on the tiles and run in between the cracks in the floor. He stared at them until the drops stopped coming, at which point Naruto stood up and crossed the narrow hallway to his seat. Time and space were suspended for the four ninja as each were consumed with their own thoughts. Sasuke watched his former teammates with careful scrutiny. His attention to detail stemmed from his instinctive need to make sense out of the emotional situation he had walked into. Details were something he could work with – they were impersonal and objective.

After what seemed like hours, Ino, Shizune, and a few other nurses emerged, helping along a weak and tired looking Tsunade. The Hokage's drained chakra had caused her youth jutsu to waver slightly, hinting at her true age. She looked older and frailer than Sasuke had ever seen her, even though the partial jutsu made her appear around forty. The emotional and physical strain of the surgery had taken away the spring in her step and the confidence with which she conducted herself.

Naruto moved to help Tsunade before she collapsed and guided her to his chair. The older woman's hakama was blood stained, and her blond hair had streaks of dried blood caked in it. She brushed the hair away from her face with an ensanguined hand and waved off the nurses. She sat there numbly, tears streaming down her face unnoticed. She closed her clouded amber eyes and sighed heavily.

"She almost didn't make it."

"Why was she screaming?" Naruto inquired shakily.

"She used so much chakra in the fight and her last jutsu; it basically shredded her chakra passageways. She went far beyond her limit, and it's as if they were destroyed from the inside. Even though we were healing her, pushing our chakra into her passageways was like rubbing salt in an open wound. She will need so much healing to be able to even manipulate chakra, and we don't even know how her body will respond to her chakra. She might never use it again."

A heavy silence pervaded the room as Tsunade paused to wipe fresh tears from her eyes. Sasuke stared at her from his hiding spot further down the corridor. He was stunned. Shizune put her hand on her mentor's shoulders in comfort as the blonde woman made an effort to continue.

"Even if she does recover, I can't say I want her to go out in the field again." Tsunade's voice broke as she began to sob. "I wish I still tutored the boy-crazy overly-emotional Sakura, not Konoha's most feared assassin..."

Kakashi nodded. "Sometimes so do we."

Tsunade looked up, and Sasuke could read the utter desolation in her eyes. "I wish she had never become a shinobi."

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**A/N: Please read and review! I appreciate everyone's patience while waiting for this chapter. For all of you that reviewed the first two chapters, I love you guys!**


	4. All for Cerise

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who commented and who has been so patient with me not uploading for an obscene amount of time. I truly apologize for leaving my stories by the wayside this past year. And I love all of you that stuck with this story. My uploads will continue to be few and far between with my transition into college and double majoring in two heavy science fields. BUT! I have by no means given up on my stories. It was so hard to write a "love story" when I was missing someone I care about, but now I've found the peace of mind to keep writing. You're all amazing, and if I haven't replied to your review, I'm so glad to hear your thoughts. **

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SASUSAKU

Chapter 4: All for Cerise

Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

"_Even if she does recover, I can't say I want her to go out in the field again." Tsunade's voice broke as she began to sob. "I wish I still tutored the boy-crazy overly emotional Sakura, not Konoha's most feared assassin…"_

_Kakashi nodded, "Sometimes so do we."_

_Tsunade looked up, and Sasuke could read the utter desolation in her eyes. "I wish she had never become a shinobi." _

Sakura was moved into her own room in the emergency care unit of the hospital so Tsunade could keep an eye on her. Throughout the remainder of the night Sakura was awake and extremely delirious, moaning incoherently and trying to get up. Tsunade had placed restraints on her wrists and ankles to keep her from moving and reopening her wounds, but this only made her more agitated. Repeated attempts to calm Sakura down weren't working, and more drugs and chakra had to be used to stop Sakura from hurting herself. Tsunade was recovering outside her patient's room, giving orders to the nurses from the small futon that Kakashi had brought for her to rest on. By 2:00 AM, her Shishou and the nurses had been able to finally soothe Sakura's pain with medication and chakra healing, but the toll that the battle and subsequent surgery had taken was too much for the pink haired shinobi's body to handle. Sasuke listened carefully from his hiding place in an unoccupied patient room as Tsunade explained Sakura's condition to Team 7.

"We had to give her so many medications for the pain and to calm her down. She fought against the restraints as if she thought she was still in the battle. She wasn't cognizant that they were for her own good, and that was not a good sign. She almost reopened some very serious wounds, so we had to use sedatives on her." Tsunade sighed before continuing. "Because of all the stress on her body, she's essentially shutting down. She went into a coma, and now we have no idea when she will wake up and how healed she will be by then."

Naruto hung his head in his hands and wiped his eyes. "But she'll live, Baa-chan?"

Tsunade nodded. "Most likely she will. We have finally managed to stop the bleeding, and with her in a coma, she won't rupture any injuries that would put her life in danger. However, her quality of life will deteriorate the longer she remains in a coma. And eventually, if she doesn't come out of it soon, she may never wake up."

Kakashi and Naruto took the grave news glumly, hopelessness and despair weighed on them like a thick dark cloud. Sai wordlessly went back to his drawing, busying himself in the detail of Sakura's smiling face. Sasuke watched them, unable to stop the gloomy prospects of the situation from affecting him. Sakura's condition forced him to accept that she must have been a powerful shinobi, and her struggle between life and death didn't make his job to kill her any easier, even though logically it should. He wouldn't have to fight her or Naruto and Kakashi; she was lying helpless and bound to a hospital bed, and she wasn't even awake. Her room would be watched over by Tsunade and the other nurses throughout the night, but he wouldn't have trouble slipping in, completing the mission his client had given him, and leaving in an instant through the window next to her bed. He was too fast and too skilled for the aged and worn out Godaime or the nurses to catch him. However, the presence of Team 7 would make sneaking into her room far more difficult, and Sasuke waited hidden behind the door of the adjacent room, hoping for his former teammates to fall asleep and leave Sakura's room unguarded. Tsunade began to speak again, and Sasuke put his ear to the door to listen.

"All of you should really go home. With Sakura out of the field, people will need to fill in for her on the missions she was scheduled to take. Also, with her in this condition, rogue organizations and other villages may try to capture her, or take her out. I cannot take chances with her life like this, and I will need the three of you to be ready for anything that may come up."

Kakashi glanced at Naruto before folding his arms across his chest. "What about tonight? She's at her weakest now, and so are you and the other attending nurses. If someone wanted to try something, tonight would be the perfect night to do it."

Tsunade smiled grimly. "I know; that's why I assigned Shikamaru as head of the task force guarding this hospital. Every entrance, exit, cooling vent, and inch of the perimeter will be patrolled and sealed off by his team. The nurses that were on call are resting up within the hospital, so no one is leaving but you. They will be back in a matter of hours to tend to Sakura and protect her. And don't forget, we have nurses like Ino who are also shinobi. We will be capable of handling any threat from the inside. Now, go home. That is an order. We will notify you immediately if her condition changes."

Sasuke smirked to himself, careful not to make any noise as the members of Team 7 filed past him. He could not believe his good luck. Sakura would be unguarded, and he would have the perfect chance to strike. Tsunade checked on her beloved student once more before leaving the room and limping tiredly down the hall to the staff room. Her heeled feet clicked against the tile unevenly – she had been on her feet all day since Sakura arrived in the emergency unit that afternoon and it was well after midnight when the surgery was finally over. The raven haired avenger watched her back as she turned the corner down the hall, and then noiselessly slipped out of the patient room and into Sakura's. Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw Sakura's body. She was covered in bandages, some of them still a bit bloody, and her face was extremely pale. She had regained some color to her face since he saw her last - when she had appeared to be dead in the clearing. The multitude of machines she was hooked up to amazed Sasuke, and it showed just how weak the girl was. Coming closer, the onyx eyed man could see the pained look on her face illuminated by the moonlight. Brushing these thoughts from his mind, Sasuke knew he had a job to do. He crossed the small room before peering out of the doorway. He could see no chakra signatures with his sharingan, so he eased the door shut just enough to shield him from anyone walking by. Sasuke inspected Sakura again, the words his client wrote in the Bingo Book he carried flashing through his mind.

'_Everyone I've sent after her returned in a body bag or went missing permanently. Bring me her body, alive or dead. Perhaps you'll be more fortunate than the others.'_

Sasuke looked at the girl grimly. It was probably a good thing she was in a coma and heavily sedated, otherwise he wondered just what damage she could do to him. However, he had forgotten about his client's request to be brought her body. Cursing his stupidity, Sasuke realized that he could not complete this mission. Disconnecting her from the machines was sure to ring alarm bells, and carrying her injured body the many miles it would take to reach his client would leave him with a nasty diseased corpse. He suspected his client wouldn't care - he probably only needed her body to confirm the kill – but Sasuke knew his chances of unhooking her and making a run with her out of Konoha were slim. Glaring at her pale face, he contemplated how he could get her to his client.

"Back so soon, Uchiha?" a voice behind him laughed sarcastically. Sasuke whipped around in surprise, completely caught off guard, and came face to face with the Godaime Hokage. She stood in the doorway, and began to tap her heeled foot impatiently. She had changed out of her bloodstained clothes and her youth jutsu set her almost back to her normal appearance. "I was wondering who would crawl out of the woodwork when I left Sakura unattended. Her agitation wasn't just from the memories of her fight. She could feel your chakra signature, and so could I."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the Hokage's comment. There was no way she could have felt his chakra signature with all the other chakras that filled the hospital and emergency unit. And even if she could have, how did the rest of his former team completely miss his presence? Sasuke folded his arms across his chest in a defensive manner.

"You're bluffing. There's no way you could have felt my presence, especially if Naruto and the others didn't notice me."

Meeting Sasuke's glare, Tsunade stepped forward challengingly. "Oh really, then how come you didn't sense my chakra presence just now? Maybe you're getting sloppy." The tall blonde put her hands on her hips and scowled. "Why are you here, Uchiha?"

"Hn," the onyx eyed man said in annoyance, a plan forming in his sharp mind. "It's not like I was expecting a 'welcome home party', but you don't have to be so cold with me, Lady Hokage."

"Cut the crap, Uchiha. Tell me why you're here or I'll send every ANBU squad to this hospital to take you out. Naruto might have some shred of faith left in you, but I don't."

Sasuke glared at the older woman. He hadn't gotten to know Tsunade very well before he was taken to Orochimaru, but he certainly didn't like her now. He had to give her some credit, though. He was a much feared assassin and missing nin, and if Tsunade had been Sakura's mentor and one of the Sannin, she would not be easy to contend with.

"I want to come back to Konoha." Sasuke said bluntly.

"Ha! Really, Sasuke? Get lonely out there? All of a sudden my student almost dies on my operating table, and seven hours later, you show up and want to come back to the fold after eight years of being a missing nin. You've given us every reason to believe that you are the enemy of Konoha: you allied yourself with Akatsuki and Madara Uchiha, you killed Danzō, and you've tried on numerous occasions to kill Naruto and his team." Tsunade narrowed her sharp amber eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Excuse me if I don't believe it."

Sasuke sighed inwardly. Normally, his wish to do anything was enough for people scared of him, and they didn't ask questions. Explaining this would make him look weak, but fooling the highest ranking ninja in Konoha had to be a feat of some sort. "I want to. I'm tired of being hunted by everyone on the planet with a Bingo Book. And…" Sasuke hesitated. He _really_ didn't want to pretend Sakura had something to do with his return, but he figured that might win Tsunade over. "I found Sakura in the clearing. I can tell she is strong, and I wanted to come back and train with my team, since I see they are much improved. And after discovering she was alive, I wanted to see if she would live through her ordeal. It would be such a waste of a strong shinobi."

Tsunade frowned at him and scrutinized him thoroughly. She didn't believe him at all, and he admitted that part of the reason he was back was Sakura. After he had left, the Hokage had suspected that Sasuke didn't care whether Team 7 lived or died, let alone actually return Sakura's feelings, but somehow Sasuke hadn't managed to kill his former comrades. He had sworn to kill Naruto, but after the defeat of Akatsuki, the former Konoha ninja had disappeared and the great showdown between him and Naruto had never come. Despite his past, Sasuke's attitude was objective and detached – he wanted a challenge from his teammates and valued them as the human weapons they were, but he didn't seem to have any emotional attachment. This fact made his story all the more believable. Sasuke Uchiha was a power-hungry egomaniac, and if he wanted to become stronger, training with Konoha's strongest team would have its benefits. It all made perfect logical sense to come back to Konoha – power, protection, better quality of life – but Tsunade had a hard time letting go of her suspicion. His enemies had been wiped out – Danzō was dead, and most of the elders responsible for the Uchiha massacre were also gone. The only one left was Naruto. Karin, the ninja he had once kept on his team, had warned of Sasuke's growing coldness when they had captured her eight years ago. Sasuke had almost killed her to kill Danzō, and Tsunade doubted that the man's cold heart would have changed after Akatsuki's defeat. She was seriously worried that he would try and kill Naruto, but if she didn't give him a chance, Naruto would never forgive her. Sasuke's "logic" was relatively sound, and the Hokage knew it would also make Naruto happy to hear he had returned. But if Sasuke was lying, he could destroy Konoha from the inside out, and she knew what another betrayal would do to Naruto's faith in humanity.

Rubbing her forehead tiredly, and secretly watching Sasuke's movements to test if he would attack her while her guard was down, Tsunade sighed. "Alright, Uchiha, I'll bite. But what do the people of Konoha get in the wake of your return? You don't expect me to just let you back in for free, do you?"

Sasuke smirked; she was a true businesswoman. "Of course I don't, Lady Hokage. And being a missing nin, I do have intelligence that could be useful to Konoha. People think that missing nins will never share information with their home country. That's mostly because your ANBU was supposed to hunt me down and kill me, but I guess I have Naruto to thank for that, don't I?"

Tsunade laughed to herself coldly. "Well you certainly can't thank Sakura."

Sasuke's deep charcoal eyes narrowed at her comment, and he wondered if she was serious. He couldn't imagine Sakura not being in love with him. Every girl that wasn't afraid he would kill her was head over heels for him because of his body and his "badass" reputation. Sakura was one of the crowd, and he doubted she could've given up on him. Tsunade's insinuation miffed him more than he would have expected.

Continuing as if she hadn't said anything, Tsunade said, "You will be taken down to the ANBU headquarters, interrogated, given a mental evaluation, and brought before me and the shinobi council to decide your fate. If you don't want to go through this, I suggest you leave before I send the ANBU after you."

"I understand," Sasuke said submissively. He knew he would have to be punished for leaving Konoha and whatever other crimes they would pin on him. As long as Sakura survived and he was allowed to reenter Konoha society, he could complete his mission. Sleeper cells are a common and effective form of espionage, and if he could gain the trust of his former team, he would be in the clear to assassinate Sakura.

Tsunade shot a warning glare at him. "I will summon the teams now then." Tsunade pulled out her summoning scroll and made a few lightning fast hand signs. Her slug appeared at her feet, looking up willingly at her mistress.

"You called, Lady Hokage?"

"Summon the ANBU elite, and alert Shikamaru and his team of the situation. Tell Shizune as well. Sasuke Uchiha has come back to Konoha." Tsunade stated firmly, looking into Sasuke's eyes and searching for any hidden expressions.

The slug shifted uncomfortably and hesitantly spoke, "Should I tell Naruto?"

The buxom blonde continued to hold Sasuke's gaze; her amber eyes glinting harshly in the moonlight. "No."

An ANBU squad led by Genma arrived at Sakura's hospital room within minutes. The older jonin looked at Sasuke suspiciously, and kept him a distance away from Sakura while he was put in chakra restraints. Sasuke was searched for all weapons and belongings on his person: his kusanagi was seized; the small daggers and kunai that were belted to his waist and thigh were also removed, along with the bingo book. The onyx eyed man smiled inwardly. He had anticipated that he might be attacked and apprehended fleeing the hospital after murdering Sakura – he had removed her page from his bingo book and burned it after leaving the clearing. He was glad he did, as his original plan did not involve voluntarily being captured by ANBU guards. Tsunade watched as he was led out of the hospital, and shook her head at the strange turn of events. They were given strict orders not to talk about Sasuke's return to anyone, and Tsunade hoped that his case would be resolved soon enough. If Naruto found out that she had withheld this information from the Hokage-in-training, he would never forgive her. The blonde smiled at the thought of Naruto accomplishing his dream and becoming Hokage, while growing old beside his two best friends. The thought was pleasant, however fleeting. Sasuke may never be cleared of the crimes against him, or he might betray the village again, and Sakura may not live to see her noisy best friend bestowed the Hokage title. Sighing heavily, Tsunade made her way back to the futon outside Sakura's room, intent on getting a little sleep before day broke and the village would be functioning normally again.

Sasuke was led deep beneath the streets of Konoha, through damp and narrow winding passages until a small light could be seen at the other end. Entering the spacious underground cavern where the ANBU interrogation unit was located, Sasuke was pushed along into a dark and oppressive room, strapped tightly with several different restraints to a large metal chair and then the door was closed without a word from his ANBU guards.

After what seemed like hours, the door to his room swung open and Ibiki, the proctor he recognized from the chunin exams long ago, strolled casually into the room. "Sorry, I'm late, Uchiha Sasuke," he said callously before lighting a cigarette with a match. "You've had some time to think about exactly why you're here and what you know. The Hokage doesn't trust you, and neither do I. So you can either tell us what's going on in that diabolical head of yours or we can start with these matches and I'll burn it out of you. And if you even think about using your sharingan on me, I swear to you, you'll be dead before you can even blink."

Sasuke smirked at him. "With my powers, it is you that would be dead before you can blink. But I came back willingly, and I intend to cooperate."

"Very well," Ibiki pulled up a chair and sat in front of the missing nin. "Let's hear it. But if I question your story, I have the full authority to have one of the Yamanaka clan poke around inside your head. So you best be straightforward."

The raven haired man smiled disarmingly, "I will be, Ibiki-san. You don't have to worry about that."

After more grueling hours of being locked in the small room and under Ibiki's harsh scrutiny, Sasuke was led to a cell deep within the underground complex. He was sealed in by locks, deadbolts, and jutsu, but this didn't bother him. He had made a convincing argument for his return to Konoha and had provided excellent intelligence on missing nin movements and secret plans within other nations. Sasuke wasn't too concerned with betraying these secrets – a missing nin allies himself with whoever could give him what he wants most, and keeping those alliances aren't necessary when a better proposition presents itself. Sasuke was content with his situation. He figured he would spend some time in prison, but that would leave time for Sakura to wake up and allow him to build credibility with his former teammates. If he did his time and presented himself as a changed man who atoned for his sins, he had a guaranteed back-in-free card to their team. However, the time he would spend in confinement worried him. He would have much rather stayed a missing nin and attacked Sakura later if he hadn't been seen by Tsunade, and he would be seriously pissed off if some other hired nin finished her off before he got out of jail.

Days and weeks passed while Sasuke remained in his underground cell. He had lost all sense of time, and the only thing holding his sanity together was his habit of frequent exercise. He was never allowed out of his cell, so without the ability to walk around freely, Sasuke did the next best thing. He did sit ups on the carved out slab of stone that served as his bed, pull ups and chin ups on the horizontal bar above the doorway to his cell. The large metal bars holding him in provided him with a view of the corridor leading to his cell, and he would always stop all activity and pretend to be sleeping whenever a guard would walk by. He had determined the cycle in which the guards patrol the holding cells, and mentally planned an escape route if he ever decided being in jail to kill Sakura just wasn't worth it. He knew there would be a hefty reward for her head, but after weeks and weeks of staring at the same stone walls, he began to wonder if he was crazy for planning to do this in the first place. Konoha didn't matter to him, Sakura didn't matter to him, and what his client wanted really didn't matter to him either. He didn't need to try so hard to complete one job; he was the great Sasuke Uchiha. He could've killed the Hokage and left before anyone would have even noticed, but instead he made up this crappy plan to stay. Bewildered at himself, Sasuke sat in his cell, praying to every god he could think of that the day when he will be tried for betraying Konoha and killing Danzō would come. But day after day with no human contact, and his regrets for not killing Sakura, kept the pink haired shinobi fresh on his mind. He saw her pale face, streaked with blood, and her cloudy dull eyes staring back at him whenever he closed his eyes. Memories of her bloodied body haunted him; the results of her insane power haunted him. She had seemingly grown to be so strong, and both Naruto and Tsunade's words had hinted that she didn't care for him anymore. Sakura was perhaps the one constant thing in his life that he could think of – his brother, who betrayed him in order to save him, was dead; his circle of "friends" constantly changed depending on who he worked for and what village he visited; and he never stayed in one place for longer than a few weeks. Sakura had said she loved him and wanted to go with him when he left for Orochimaru, Sakura had made Naruto promise to bring Sasuke back, and now Sakura apparently was nothing like the girl he remembered. The raven haired man sighed heavily and resolved to kill Sakura whenever the chance was available. She was bothering him, and he was especially bothered by her mental and physical strength. If she had gotten past her insane love for him, grown up to be in the Bingo Book, and become physically strong enough to destroy an entire meadow and the shinobi within it, it almost made him regret leaving. The loneliness was getting to him, and Sasuke needed to get out and do what he came to do before staying in Konoha became spending the rest of his life there.

It was seventy-two weeks before Sasuke was brought to the surface and saw the light of day again. For those seventy-two weeks, he had had zero visitors, zero conversations with the multiple ANBU guards that monitored his cell, five hundred and four nights of sleeping on a stone slab, one thousand five hundred and twelve meals consisting of a grey substance he couldn't identify, and twelve more interrogations with Ibiki, just to test his resolve in becoming a Konoha citizen. Sasuke had almost given up, killed the man with his sharingan, and escaped, but he was finally free. He had the sinking feeling that it was all Tsunade's doing to have him kept this long without a trial, and he hoped the sentencing process would be long enough for him to enjoy actually being outside again. He wouldn't be able to handle another stint in jail until at least a week of seeing the world above ground, or he would absolutely go crazy. It had felt like a whole lifetime in his cell; he was only informed when they reached above ground that he'd been held there for over a year.

Tsunade greeted him with disinterest as he was led to a special room in the Hokage tower. She had held him long enough, she thought, for him to snap and try something stupid. Then, at least, she could feel secure in her conclusion that his presence brought no good to the village. It was a relatively good sign that he hadn't snapped, however, because part of her wanted him to rejoin his team. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura had risked their lives so many times to bring him back; she almost wanted the fairy tale ending that they would all be reunited in happiness.

"Well, Uchiha, still alive and well I see."

Sasuke nodded to her, trying hard to conceal his anger. "Why thank you, Lady Hokage. Care to tell me why I spent over a year down there with no word on my trial until now?"

Tsunade shrugged off his comment, "I know you are frustrated, Sasuke, but the council takes its sweet time. And besides, knowing you spent so long in prison waiting to be sentenced will bring credibility to your side. You may have had chakra restraints, but I didn't have you put in a maximum security cell for a reason."

Sasuke glared at her. He was furious that she had been baiting him with escape, and he almost wished he had tried it. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he snapped irritably.

The Godaime chuckled to herself. You can't expect us to believe you right off the bat, Sasuke. But your lack of escape attempts has assured me that, whatever you want, you're patient enough to get it." Strolling a little farther down the hallway, she turned. "I can't guarantee they'll even let you live because of what you've done, so be grateful that I gave you this much."

Sasuke was led deep into the heart of the building and into the council chambers. Everyone was seated and frowned at his entrance. It was obvious to him that he was not welcomed back in Konoha by the elder elite shinobi. The council was comprised mostly of seasoned shinobi appointed by Tsunade after Danzō's death, and the elders that sentenced the Uchiha clan to death had been replaced by their younger counterparts. Since the death of Sarutobi, only a few of the original elders had been left, but to Sasuke's relief they were all dead now. However, the original elders would have known the basis for his actions was the Uchiha massacre and now that none of them were present, there would be no sympathy for him.

Tsunade walked into her office where Kakashi and Naruto were waiting. The future Hokage paced about the room impatiently, while his grey haired mentor sat patiently, the bored look of old replaced by one of tiredness. The jonin was worried what Sasuke's trial would do to his team. Sai was emotionless as usual, but Kakashi could see he didn't welcome Sasuke's return. And Naruto was as hopeful as ever; he just worried the young man would be disappointed by the council's ruling. Kakashi did not trust Sasuke's motives at all. None of their rescue attempts had any effect on Sasuke, and he couldn't fathom that anything had changed in the young avenger's mind. Tsunade cleared her throat loudly, and Kakashi stood up and nodded to her, knowing it was time to go. Naruto looked their way – his expression was calm and collected, but the excitement showed in his eyes.

"Naruto," Tsunade began quietly, "You cannot get your hopes up for this. Even if Sasuke is not sentenced to death, he may very well spend time in jail for many years. And even if he does not, he's been a missing nin and an enemy of Konoha for eight years. The elders may have been suspicious of Danzō, but he was the chosen candidate to follow me as Hokage. His death did not make the village happy. And how many attempts did you make to bring Sasuke home that he nearly killed you and your teammates on? I don't know why he was visiting Sakura on the night she was brought back, but in reality, if something is too good to be true, it usually is. I want him to be telling the truth, Naruto, but after everything he's done it's hard for me to believe."

"I know Baa-chan," Naruto said, his solemn tone conveyed the seriousness of the situation. "I don't know what to expect from the council, and I don't know what his motives are, but I will give him a chance. And if he betrays us again, I will kill him myself." Tearing up slightly, Naruto continued, "Sakura made me promise to bring him back, and her opinions might have changed when she became an assassin, but deep down, I know she would want me to give him one more chance."

Tsunade nodded, knowing he was probably right. Sakura hadn't loved Sasuke for many years leading up to her fateful assassination mission, but Tsunade knew Sakura's stony heart still had the capacity for forgiveness. She led the way into the courtroom with Naruto and Kakashi not far behind, and took her assigned seat on the council bench. Sasuke sat in front of the council, a blank look on his face. He regarded them with disinterest, but could not help looking over at Naruto and Kakashi as they entered. Naruto and Kakashi took a seat beside Tsunade, while. Sasuke frowned, confused at why Naruto would be on the council. Naruto sat stoically, and he looked directly at Sasuke with his piercing cerulean gaze. Sasuke was not moved by the blonde's fierce gaze and he regarded him with disinterest.

With everyone seated, the council began to question Sasuke's motives and deliberate over his past actions. Tsunade led the questioning, focusing on each act of treason that Sasuke had committed. Naruto remained silent, but attentive, his gaze never wavering from Sasuke's. A grizzled old councilman turned to Naruto after Tsunade had finished her inquiry and asked him whether it was true that Sasuke, his supposed friend, had tried to kill him so many times.

Naruto nodded solemnly, "Yes, it is true. In Sasuke's quest for power, he didn't need us as teammates, and his solution was to kill us to make himself stronger."

A harsh voice from the other side of the council panel snapped incredulously, "Then why the hell did you keep trying to bring him back if you knew he didn't care about your lives anymore?"

Sasuke turned to the voice and was met with Anko's snake-like stare. She had been Orochimaru's student as well, and hadn't been led down the path of evil that he had. Sasuke sensed that the question wasn't directed at Naruto, but was more to gauge Sasuke's reaction to her comment. He expected Naruto to protest loudly at Anko's insinuation that Sasuke only wanted Naruto dead, but to his surprise, the young blonde answered her maturely.

"I swore I would bring him back," Naruto said softly. "I tried so hard to do what we all wanted, and I didn't want to give up or believe that he could do that to us. But he did." Naruto finished his sentence resolutely and looked Sasuke in the eye. "I do believe in my heart that we are alive today because Sasuke couldn't bring himself to kill us. But I've seen him try to kill his teammates, and me, too many times to say that he is a changed man right now."

Sasuke's eyes widened. The dobe was selling him out to the council. Naruto continued forcefully, not missing the surprise in his former best friend's eyes, "I want to give him a chance, and I wish the council would rule in his favor. But, as I told the Hokage, I will make sure he dies if he does anything to betray Konoha again."

Smiling sadly to the rest of the council, Naruto nodded to Sai and Kakashi, "I know the rest of my team would do anything, including kill Uchiha Sasuke, to protect Konoha."

The onyx eyed avenger frowned at the blonde sitting in front of him. He had said the opposite of everything Sasuke had expected, and then he knew that his chances were slim if the beloved ninja of Konoha didn't side in his favor. The council deliberated more, and Kakashi brought up the subject of the Uchiha massacre in Sasuke's defense. The council agreed that the basis of Sasuke's hate for Konoha was valid – he had found out, after years of hating his brother and killing him, that it was the Konoha elders that had convinced Itachi to kill his clan.

After hours of open debate, with Sasuke watching as the council members expressed their views about him as if he wasn't there, they had come to a conclusion. Anko, Hyūga Hiashi, and a few of the elder shinobi staunchly opposed Sasuke getting anything less than life in prison. Because of his willing association with Orochimaru and Akatsuki, Hiashi called for his death. Anko disagreed, however, and her experiences with Orochimaru led the council to agree with her. She acknowledged that although Sasuke went willingly, he was persuaded by the power the cursed seal would give him against Itachi, not Konoha. Kakashi, Genma, and Gai agreed that life in prison was extreme, but they did not want Sasuke to be reinstated as a shinobi or a normal Konohagakure citizen once he was out of prison. Ibiki stood and voiced his opinion, which was the most lax of the whole council. He, out of curiosity more than anything, wanted to see the former missing nin reintroduced to Konoha society, under constant surveillance, to see what Sasuke was really up to. The council dissented at the idea of putting the murderous ninja on the streets with every day citizens, but Ibiki persisted.

"If he returned for any malevolent purpose, which would not surprise me, he could wait for years until completing whatever assassination or infiltration he needs to." The seasoned jonin rubbed his scarred chin. "Why not put him out in the open and let him show us what he came for? The longer he stays in Konoha as a free citizen, the more we can gauge his true loyalties."

Kakashi and the other jonin scowled at the interrogation specialist's risky recommendation. "And what if he tries to kill the Hokage? He already killed the future sixth Hokage," Anko snapped angrily.

"Whether he stays in a jail cell for a year or twenty years, Sasuke will do what he came here to do. Leaving him to sit in an underground cell will only make him grow even angrier with Konoha and our ways." Ibiki finished.

The council muttered among themselves, lost for an answer. Ibiki made a good point, but many of them were not comfortable letting a highly skilled missing nin run loose on the streets of Konoha. Sasuke waited for Naruto to give his opinion – he was the only member of the council who had not shared his final decision besides Tsunade, who would complete the ruling. Instead, Tsunade and Naruto conversed quietly for several minutes, after which the Hokage stood up and faced Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke, the council finds you guilty of conspiring against Konoha, assassinating Danzō, and betraying your teammates. For your crimes, we sentence you to two more years in a maximum security cell, upon which we will determine whether your behavior merits your move to a less secure facility or out of the prison system all together. You will spend fifteen years, either in prison or laboring, and serve your debt to Konoha. Under Ibiki's guidance, we took into consideration your mental state when you attacked the Candidate Sixth Hokage, as the previous generation was responsible for the deaths of your entire clan. Also, you can never become a shinobi unless I grant you that permission. ANBU guards will constantly monitor your activities, and should you be allowed out of prison, they will be watching you at all times. If you try anything to lose or distract them, you will die. If you mentally or physically harm another citizen or shinobi, you will die. If you do _anything_ I don't like, you will die. Once you are out of prison, if you betray us again, you won't get another chance. I will have you executed immediately."

A tall redheaded woman watched the court proceedings from the door at the far end of the room. Karin pushed her glasses higher on her face, deep in thought. She was not pleased to see that Sasuke was back, and she could still sense the dark, cold chakra that flowed through his body. She had heard he had come back voluntarily, and he had professed it to the council, but she knew he was no different than the cruel missing nin that made Konoha his enemy over ten years ago. She didn't know what he was planning, but she couldn't believe that the council members would let him off with such a lenient sentence – thirty years or more is the usual going rate for first degree murder, ignoring Sasuke's other offenses. Karin expected life in prison, even death, for the avenger. If Sakura was here she would have thrown a fit and destroyed the council room with one of her terrifying punches. Karin thought back to Sakura lying numbly in her hospital bed. She had woken up from her coma several weeks prior, but she was still bedridden and very weak. Her muscles had atrophied from lack of use, since she was in a coma for over a year. The redhead had gone to visit her when she was awake to see how she was doing. As a former operative of Orochimaru, she was still mistrusted by most Konoha citizens, but she had enough freedom to visit the cherry headed girl that saved her life. Sakura had healed her after Sasuke tried to kill her and Danzō, and ever since then, Karin had felt relatively safe in Sakura's presence. She had seen Sakura's kind heart turn cold and stony after she finally realized that Sasuke was not the boy she used to know. Although they weren't close, Sakura and Karin had a pleasant friendship, and they were united by what they had loved and lost. Turning away after the council read the final verdict, Karin made her way out of the court building and headed away from the hospital. She didn't think she could face Sakura right now and hide the truth from her. Tsunade had made it clear to everyone that Sasuke's situation was to be kept from her apprentice – for Sakura's sake as well as Sasuke's – and Karin was afraid what the news of his return would do to Sakura's heart. She had become more and more like Sasuke, ridding herself of useless emotions in order to become a better shinobi. For Sakura, Sasuke was just a target that, like the rest of Akatsuki, had destroyed her precious home and family, and he needed to be destroyed.

Sasuke spent what felt like another lifetime inside the below-ground ANBU prison. He had been moved from a deep underground maximum security cell to one much closer to the surface, and he even received a few visits from Kakashi, Naruto, and Tsunade. After two years of incarceration for his crimes, and the extra year Tsunade had given him before his sentencing, Sasuke was due to be released on good behavior. He would be guarded heavily and not allowed to go anywhere on his own. He would be serving Konoha above ground for the rest of his fifteen year sentence, or until Tsunade decided he was sincere enough to be allowed into normal civilian life. He figured the scheming Hokage would extend his service time for a few more years after he finished his time. Knowing he would not get a second chance, Sasuke gladly let the ANBU guards lead him up to the surface, where he was taken to Tsunade's office.

"Sasuke," Tsunade began solemnly. "I have decided to release your from prison, which, I must remind you, is a gesture thought to come thirteen years too soon by most people in Konoha. The year in prison before you were sentenced worked in your favor, but you are by no means out of your punishment yet. You will be serving Konoha through service projects and will be constantly watched by ANBU guards."

Standing up, Tsunade motioned to the group of ANBU led by Shikamaru. "You are free to go, Sasuke. You will report to me tomorrow morning at 0800 sharp. If you are but a second late, I will send an assassination squad to pick you up. By letting you live, you already got a second chance. There will be no third."

Sasuke bowed slightly to the Hokage before being escorted out of the Hokage tower. The strong afternoon sunlight hit his pale face as he walked outside, and he smiled to himself. He had no intention of serving the rest of his fifteen years, as he intended to kill Sakura and escape the village as soon as he could. But for now he was content to wait, and being outside of his prison cell made him feel refreshed and exhilarated. Strolling toward the main part of town, Sasuke was accosted by a familiar noisy blonde.

The breeze ruffled Naruto's red and white cloak as he ambled up to his former best friend. "You look happy to be out of your cell," Naruto smiled quietly. He was excited Sasuke was released, but he still had his doubts about the raven haired man's motives.

Sasuke nodded to him, "Dobe." Deep down, Sasuke was almost happy to see the blonde ninja. The freedom of prison put the heartless man in a much better mood than his usual self, and seeing Naruto made him itch for a rematch in their fight. However, Sasuke's chakra was still suppressed by a jutsu that Shikamaru had used on him, and he knew that getting into any sort of altercation – friendly or otherwise – with Naruto would send him to be slaughtered by Tsunade.

Sasuke had expected Naruto to react to his nickname 'dobe', but to his surprise, the blonde ignored it and beckoned Sasuke to follow him. He stopped as they neared Ichiraku's ramen shop, and he turned to Sasuke. Naruto regarded him seriously, "There is someone you should see."

Sasuke looked around and then at Naruto in confusion. There was no one at the ramen stand. Naruto shook his head and pointed into the distance. Walking toward them was Sakura, but she was much different looking than when Sasuke had seen her in the hospital. She was visibly frailer, and her pink hair had grown down to her waist. She didn't seem to notice them, however, as she appeared to be focused on something else on the other side of the street. Her short red kimono was belted tightly around her thin waist, exposing the small black shorts she wore and the fishnet stockings that came to above her knees. Aside from her thinness, Sasuke thought she looked quite good. The last time he'd seen her was when she was beaten and bloodied, lying in her hospital bed in a thin hospital shift. He was surprised at how tiny she was – lying comatose for a year had stripped her body of the curves and muscle she once had. As she approached Naruto, the woman stopped. Her green eyes widened in surprise as she saw Sasuke and her fists balled up in fury. Turning to Naruto, her sharp emerald eyes blazed.

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" she snarled at her best friend.

Naruto calmly moved forward to take her arm, and Sasuke was again surprised at how mature he seemed to be. "He's back, Sakura. We didn't want to tell you while you were recovering."

Sakura's long pink hair flowed about her face as she locked her eyes with Sasuke's. The avenger was taken aback by her harsh glare. In that moment, he knew that she was truly not the love-struck girl he remembered from long ago. Sasuke searched his mind for anything to pacify the woman's anger.

"I came back voluntarily, and I'm done with fighting against Konoha. I had hoped you'd be happier to see me, Sakura."

Sasuke's silky voice, intended to soothe Sakura, only made her more furious. Her bright emerald eyes narrowed as her stare bored into him. "Well I'm not happy, Uchiha Sasuke. You aren't the boy that left this village, and I think we all know that."

Turning on her heel, Sakura glared over her shoulder at Naruto. "Don't ever keep secrets from me, Naruto. And I don't ever want to see his face around us again."

The blonde ninja shook his head as she stomped off. "I had hoped that her attitude would have changed, but I really didn't expect much. Your cold heart turned hers to stone, too, Sasuke."

Sasuke's glare shifted to Naruto, and he grunted angrily, "Hn."

"Deny it all you want. She's a ruthless killer because of you," Naruto shrugged quietly.

"And how is it my fault?" Sasuke snapped incredulously. "The last time I saw her she was still in love with me."

Naruto chose not to answer and left a few coins on the ramen counter. "You should get some real food, Sasuke. Tsunade will have you working your ass off tomorrow morning."

Sasuke stared as the blonde walked away, following the direction that Sakura had stomped off in. He was extremely mad at Naruto's accusations, and his previous good mood dissipated rapidly. He was not to be blamed for Sakura's change of heart. He had done nothing to her. The realization that getting close enough to the woman in Konoha that trusted him the least would be next to impossible, especially under the constant watch of ANBU guards, angered Sasuke to no end. He had no idea how he would be able to make her trust him now. Cursing his situation, he wolfed down the bowl of ramen and set off to find a reasonable place to sleep. Tsunade had guaranteed him nothing except tons of work, and he was left to his own devices to find suitable living accommodations and food. Heading for the training fields, Sasuke picked out a sizable tree to rest against. He would need all the energy he could get to be ready for the work Tsunade had in store for him.

"_The dog days are over,_

_The dog days are done._

_The horses are coming,_

_So you better run._

_Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father._

_Run for your children and your sisters and brothers._

_Leave all your love and your longing behind you,_

_Can't carry it with you if you want to survive."_

_Dog Days are Over – Florence and the Machine_


End file.
